Picked up a used 2005 Stratus SXT 4 DR, 2.4L W/Automatic last weekend with 64Kmi. on it.

Having several issues...

Major Road Noise from cupped tires and possible separated or slipped belts on two of them.
Was so loud when they were on the front I swore I had bad wheel bearings up front or Differential Bearings or CV Joint problems. Turned out to be the tires. Need replaced.
They are Bridgestone Potenza's and I hate them, hard and noisy.

2nd problem: Transmission dropping in hard going from Reverse to Neutral to Drive. Dodge Dealer told me this is normal.?? When I hit Drive if sometimes clanks like metal to metal is hitting up front and there is also a Delayed Engagement of a couple of seconds. I watched the rear motor mount as the engine idles and jiggles in the mount, moves at least 2" when going in and out of R to N to D. Suspicious this one is pretty soft by now. I hear a servo sound for about two seconds, when going to Reverse and/or Drive, corresponds with the Engagement Delay. Is this normal?? There is kind of a Slap Back when driving at low speeds in parking lots if you press accellerator a little and then ease off. Feels like the engine Rocking in the Mounts front to back, like extra play. I also notice this same delay when the car is downshifting as I am coasting to a stop. It's like you can tell it shifted, but it doesn't fully engage for two seconds, then it pulls you down.

Had the Dodge shop check out this week and they said All Mounts are good. Still feels like they are loose. Had similar on 91 Spirit 4 Cly. Lower Front broke on it, slopped around.

3rd issue: Today driving an 85 mile round trip on 4 lanes and 2 lane winding hilly State routes, I could feel a shifting of the suspension from side to side, kind of squeamish feeling when I would drive over uneven pavement or groves or over a bridge joint. It feels like the front suspension shifts sideways about 3" to the right or left, kind of quirky loose feeling. For a few seconds feels like it looses control, the steering wheel is straight, but you feel it in your seat and feet, a quick side to side wiggle, and then it recovers and tracks straight.
After feeling this multiple times, I'm thinking Strut Top Plates loose or worn out?? Could be why so loud on raised joints on road, front end jaring from impact, like it has no damping and that impact radiates lots more road noise into the body. It is not really bouncing shocks type of thing, floating and lifting, that is only slight. It's firm hammering on road joints in the front end. Almost hopping over them short and hard. I had similar Strut Plate problems on my old Olds and put new Top Plates and it stopped it and quieted the ride.

I just paid the local Dodge Dealer $115 for going over the car and all they found were bad tires but the Tranny issues and looseness remains. Anyone else have any ideas or confirmations of what I am thinking?? Obviously the Tranny hard shift and delayed engagement really concerns me. I have an Extended Warranty for three months, so I can try to weed these things out one at a time. Thinking about taking it to another Dodge shop not too far away and get a second opinion, Especially on the Mounts and the Tranny.
Already racking to many $$$ into it and only had it a week!

Thanks in advance for your inputs!

 

Wouldn't this car still be under warranty?

 

I think the Dodge. Warranty is 3 yr 36K miles I have a 3 mos/3000 mi. Service Contract.
Since they say they didn't find anything, they billed me for looking.

Now that it is Really cold, 13 today, I could hear lots more rubber rubbing sounds from the Strut Top Plates. I think I need to replace them. Probably what is causing the suspension wiggle feelings. Still think I need to replace at least the Front and Rear Motor Mounts so solid up the slop I feel when changing R to D.

 

Sorry, should have been more specific. Wouldn't this vehicle still be under the 5 year factory warranty? I know my 02 R/T was when I bought it.

 

I only had 36 mo and 36k warranty on my car from the factory. The only thing I could do to extend it from the dealer was to buy the extended warranty to 5 year 75k. Everything else, except something which I don't have a reference for at the moment was 36/36 on my strat. I remember dealer telling me that when the rental car company bought it, they had the choice of getting the longer warranty, but they got the 36/36 option for my VIN and that is all they'd honor except the bought extended warranty.

 

Drove the car around an 85 mile trip over the weekend and yesterday another 74 mile round trip. When I got back, was sitting in a drivethru and turned the wheel to the right and started getting a squeal from the left strut top. high pitched dry rubber sound. It stayed with me until I got it down to the shop and my mechanic got to hear it. He thinks strut/plate also. Still got the loose feeling suspension, so maybe this is pointing closer to where problem lies.

Also still got the grinding bearing feeling right in front of the gas pedal, Especially in a left corner and braking on the curve makes it worse, sounds like grinding and then knocking on top of that. There is a Dipping Left Curve here I travel on and when I enter that, with the extra weight down on the front end, it really makes it louder. I'm thinking Inside CV Joint now. I hear it on a Right Curve but not as bad as the Left Curve now. Sounds like my old 91 Spirit when the CV Axle had to be replaced after if finally Froze the left front wheel.

Also just ordered 4 of the General Altimax HP tires, should get rid of all the road noise from the bad Potenzas.

 

I have the same model and haven't had any of those same problems. My tranny is working normal (no noises).

 

The Servo noise you hear is the solenoid pack engaging (kind of a rachety clicky sound)

I'd be more concerned about the motor mount , As a guess this is causing movement in the drivetrain and the hard to shift as it's misaligning the linkage ...

The other noise you describe and the feeling in the pedal area could be the lower lateral control arms the first gen stratus had a recall on it , not sue if you have the same trouble...

I'd jack up the car and see if there is play in the front suspension move the tire and see if there is free play..

The top strut mounts with that low of mileage they might just be dry ..I'd try a light squirt of silicone and see if the noise goes away

 

I agree on the motor mounts being the focus of most of what I am hearing and feeling both in the tranny dtopping in hard between selecting R to D and D to R. It feels inside the car like the front end is shifting forward and backward about two inches Very sloppy and loose. You can hear it moving up front and feel it in sync with the sound.

I just found out I have some time off due me, several days, so going to watch the weather and set an appointment next week to take it to the other Dodge shop about 35 miles from here.
They did my motor mounts one time on the old Spirit (which had this same feeling and sounds). I'll get a more independent analysis since there is no business relationship between the dealer and the place where I got the vehicle.

A co-worker with an 07 Stratus did just have her lower control arms replaced under warranty because of noise down low so who knows in my case at this point. Needs more deeply looked into then the brush over I got at first place.

Still waiting on my front two tires to arrive! They got returned to vendor in California and now supposedly headed back to me by Friday. FedEx screwup again!

 

Took it to the other Dodge shop today. Spent over two hrs there. The mechanic drove it, then had it in the bay for an hour and a half. Then two mechanics drove it.

Another $113 gone for diagnosis, but learned alot more. Checked for any codes, nothing.
Tranny is delayed engagement and they mentioned some hits on Resealing the Tranny related to this issue on Stratus. Not worth the tear-down, just going to do a Flush and Filter at the local Tranny shop since it is at 64K miles and who knows what the last owner did. It is shifting smoother since I added the SeaFoam to the tranny fluid.

They did determine that the Right Front Motor Mount is questionable to worn out. My Warranty Contract I purchased would not pay for any Mounts. Figures. Going to checkout a Chrysler site I found last year for parts way less and see if I can get this particular mount and do myself or get my local mechanic to swapout. This explains why I feel the queasy shifting around feeling on the right front wheel.

The good news is, All 4 General Altimax Tires are now installed as of Saturday and MAN! What a Difference!!! Talk about QUIET!!! Handles well too. Other than the Interstate Cement Joints resonating thru the body (I think new Strut Plates would help there), it is Very Quiet now. No more growling noise up front in turns period! Even the noise I was hearing from the right front brake is gone, so those used Potenza tires were Really Bad possibly belts damaged since they came off a wrecked car!!.

At least I have made progress and now just down to the sloppy tranny feeling and slightly sloppy front suspension on the right front. Will stick a new RT FRT Mount in there and should be much better.